You can change auto selection in Photoshop primarily through the Options Bar, or by using a keyboard shortcut.
Here's a breakdown of how to control auto selection:
Using the Options Bar
When a Move Tool (V) or one of the Selection Tools is active, the Options Bar at the top of your Photoshop window will display the "Auto-Select" option.
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Activate a Move or Selection Tool: Select the Move Tool (V) or any of the Selection Tools (e.g., Lasso Tool, Marquee Tool) from the Tools panel.
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Locate the "Auto-Select" Checkbox: Look at the Options Bar at the top of your screen. You should see a checkbox labeled "Auto-Select."
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Enable or Disable Auto-Select:
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To Enable: Check the "Auto-Select" box. This will automatically select the top-most layer under your cursor when you click on the canvas. Within the Auto-Select option, you can also choose to have Photoshop select the Layer directly or the Group the layer belongs to.
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To Disable: Uncheck the "Auto-Select" box. With Auto-Select disabled, Photoshop will select layers based on your Layer Panel selection, not based on what you click on in the canvas.
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Using the Keyboard Shortcut
A keyboard shortcut provides a temporary override for the Auto-Select setting.
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Understand the Toggle: The Command/Ctrl key toggles the Auto-Select setting. This means:
- If Auto-Select is currently enabled, holding down Command (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) temporarily disables it.
- If Auto-Select is currently disabled, holding down Command (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) temporarily enables it.
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Example: If you have Auto-Select disabled, and you want to quickly select a specific layer by clicking on it in the canvas, hold down Command/Ctrl while clicking. Once you release the key, the selection behavior reverts to the disabled Auto-Select setting.
Essentially, the Command/Ctrl key provides a quick and easy way to switch between the two selection methods without having to constantly change the setting in the Options Bar.
